Hand duster



W. D. LOVE. JR

July 1 1, 1967 HAND DUSTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 50, 1965 v INVENTOR. William 0. Love, J1: WIM, f

W am z Attorneys July 11, 1967 LOVE JR 3,330,445

HAND DUSTER Filed June 50, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR F I g. 4

William 0. Love, Jn BY aid-WK, W -v, Attorneys July 11, 1967 w. D. LOVE, JR

HAND DUSTER 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 30, 1965 INVENTOR. William 0. Love, Jr. BY W, M, W

v d' m Attorneys July 11, 1967 w. D. LOVE. JR

HAND DUSTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 30, 1965 INVENTOR. William 0 Love, Jr.

BY AM,

v emmtorneys United States Patent Ofiice 3,33%,445 Patented duly ll, 1967 3,330,445 HAND DUSTER William D. Love, In, Lafayette, Calif. (2002 Davis St., San Leandro, Calif. 94577) Filed June 30, 1965, Ser. No. 468,230 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-193) The present invention relates to an applicator for projecting and disbursing fluids, more especially pulverulent or granular materials, and more particularly to a hand duster for the application through projection and disbursion of insecticidal or microbicidal powders upon growing plants, and especially for the application of rose dust insecticides to rose bushes and the like.

In the application of pulverulent or granular materials, generally comprising insecticides, pesticides, fungicides, or the like, to growing plants, both in agricultural and garden utilizations, the class of applicators have generally involved relatively large, cumbersome, and heavy equipment, not suitable for holding in the hand, and requiring various necessary supporting harnesses or positioning means. This type of applicator is completely unsuitable for use over extended periods of time without tiring of the operator, and is especially unsuitable for useby homeowners and non-professional gardeners.

A further complication has been the necessity of such applicators dealing with pulverulent substances often of a highly abrasive character, and in addition combining such problem characteristics as being corrosive and deliquescent. The above factors have in the past necessitated that applicators be constructed of abrasive resistant metals having corrosion resistance properties, making possible rigorous cleaning of the often deliquesced, solidified, or gummy material, as by washing in hot water.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a dust applicator for insecticide powders or the like which is light in weight, can be hand held by an inexperienced operator for extended periods of time, and is capable of being operated without undue exertion.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hand duster which is formed of a material resistant to the abrasive and corrosive action of certain of the substances it may dispense, and which may safely and easily be cleaned of material residue through washing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hand duster which will permit placing of the duster in a secure upright position without tipping and loss or spilling of the material contents.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a duster which will be suitable for hand holding not only of light weight but formed of a material comfortable to the touch being neither excessively cold in inclement weather nor uncomfortably hot when exposed to the sun or higher ambient temperatures.

A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a hand duster formed of a minimum number of parts and adapted for fabrication in an economical and durable manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hand duster which effectively retains the material being dispensed, and prevents contact of such material with its various operating parts, while providing convenient access to such parts for maintenance by the operator.

Again, an additional object of the present invention is to provide a hand duster the operating parts of which require minimum ef ort for operation through inherent low frictional characteristics and through elimination of the necessity of lubrication with its undesirable tendency to cause adherence of the contaminating granular or pulverulent material being dispensed by the duster.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which of the foregoing will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claim.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational View of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in dotted lines, showing another portion of the invention shown in FIGURES 1 and 2,.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 1.

FiGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the invention shown in FIGURE 1, but with a portion thereof removed and reversed.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of the invention shown in FIGURE 1, but as seen from the opposite side thereof, and with a portion removed and reversed.

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of a portion of the invention shown in FIGURE 3, but rotated 90 degrees.

The invention generally comprises a housing 11 having front and rear walls 12 and 13 respectively, a handle 14 provided on the rear wall, and side walls 16 and 17. Housing 11 is divided into three chambers: by an inset side wall 18 defining in conjunction with side wall 16 and front and rear walls 12; and 13 a first chamber 19; by a second inset side wall 21 defining with side Wall 17 and the front and rear walls a second chamber 22; and the central chamber 23 positioned between the first and second side chambers.

Central chamber 23, being the considerably larger chamber of the three enclosed Within housing 11, serves as the material hopper for the pulverulent material to be dispensed, and side chambers 19 and 22 define the operating or drive and discharge chambers, respectively, of the present duster.

A crank handle 24 is provided at the exterior of chamber 19, and a discharge nozzle 26 is provided at the front wall of discharge chamber 22. Hopper chamber 23 is provided with an arcuate, recessed bottom 27 inset from the lower edges 28 and 29 of the operating chamber and discharge chamber respectively, and may desirably be provided with conveniently removable top 31.

It will now be clear from the foregoing, together with a study of FIGURES 1 and 2 especially, that the present duster is designed to be held by the operator by gripping the handle with one hand while the other hand operates the crank, causing material from the hopper to be disbursed through outlet 26 at the front of the cluster normally pointing away from and in full view of the operator.

As an important feature, the construction of the duster the subject of my invention permits it to rest upon a surface in an upright, stable position, and as shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2 this stable position is achieved through the three-point contact with a surface provided by the butt 32 of handle 14 and the lower edges 28 and 29 of the side chambers of housing 11. This stable, vertical, upright at-rest position of the duster is impotrant to the operator in preventing tipping and spilling of the hopper contents when the duster is set down, as well as affording convenient loading of the hopper when necessary, upon removal of cover 31.

In order to ahieve the objective of a portable duster combining the necessary strength, abrasion resisting, anticorrosion qualities, light weight and relative immunity from temperature extremes, it is desirable as I have found to fabricate the duster from one of a body of plastic materials capable of being injection molded. These materials include nylon, Cycolac (T.M.), polypropylene, and others having generally similar characteristics, and such materials have the additional desirable quality or property of having a relatively low coefiicient of friction, whereby they are able to provide self-bearings and inherent lubricating qualities between moving parts.

The possibilities, however, of economical mass fabrication such as by utilizing injection molding techniques, impose severe requirements upon the preferred embodiment a of the invention so as to conform to the necessity of avoiding undercut and confined members or cavities which would, preclude die or mold withdrawal, and such limitations apply likewise to die casting proper utilizing a metallic alloy.

The adaptability of the embodiment of the present invention as shown, to economical fabrication as by injection molding, will be apparent, particularly from a study of FIGURES 4, 5, 6 and 7.

With reference to FIGURE 4, chamber 19, already denoted the operating or drive chamber, is provided with a removable side plate 33, secured as shown by means of a plurality of screws 34 threaded in bosses 36 provided in the chamber. Cover plate 33 in conjunction with fixed side wall 16 defines the outer side wall of housing 11 adjacent the drive chamber, and at the opposite side of housing 11 chamber 22, denoted the discharge chamber, is provided with a similar cover plate 37 removably secured to chamber 22 and in conjunction with fixed side wall 17 defining the opposite outer side wall of housing 11.

Provided within the hopper 23 of the duster housing is an agitator 38, journalled for sweeping rotation within the hopper between inset side walls 18 and 21 respectively; likewise disposed within the hopper adjacent the apex of the arcuate bottom 27 is a material conveyer 39, adapted for rotation and operatively extending between chambers 19 and 22. Disposed within drive chamber 19 is a gear train 41 providing an operative connection between hand crank 24, agitator 38, and conveyer 39.

Aflixed to conveyer 39 within chamber 22 is an impeller 42 arranged in relation to discharge outlet 26 so as to direct a current of material-laden air from the discharge outlet. Rotation of hand crank 24 by the operator will thus cause the simultaneous movement of the agitator 38, and the conveyer 39 together with impeller 42 to cause agitation and conveyance of material in the hopper to and adjacent impeller 42 for discharge by nozzle 26 at the exterior of the duster housing. While such movement of the associated parts is simultaneous it is not of an equal speed, a variation in peripheral speed between the of gear train 41, as will be hereinafter described.

As shown in FIGURE 4, agitator 38 comprises a U-.

shaped stirring member having one leg terminating in a stub shaft 43 journalled for rotation in side wall 21, and the other end providing a socket 44 for receiving a squared-end 46 of shaft 47 journalled for rotation between wall 18 and cover plate 33 of the drive chamber 19. Shaft 47 is socketed and keyed in hub 48 of the hand crank 24 for rotation therewith and the shaft carries midway a fixed gear 49. Rotation of hand crank 24 will thus cause simultaneous and equal rotation of agitator 38, and the agitator is so positioned as to closely sweep the front and rear walls 12 and 13 and interconnecting arcuate bottom 27 of hopper 23 during its arc of rotation, thus effectively dislodging material within the hopper from adjacent the sides thereof and preventing packing or compacting of the pulverulent material. a

Conveyer39 as shown comprises a shaft 51 extending between chambers 19 and 22, operatively connected in the first chamber to the gear train 41 for rotation therewith in a ratio to the speed of hand crank 24, and terminating in chamber 22 in discharge impeller 42. The conveyer includes a plurality of helix vanes or blades 52,

' agitator and the conveyer being accomplished by means i high velocity volute exit 72-positioned in alignment with 4- and as an important feature of the present invention conveyer 39 is, and as shown in FIGURE 6, disposed within an arcuate, semi-circular recessed portion 53 provided in arcuate bottom 27 of the hopper at its apex. Such a positioning of the conveyer, in conjunction wit-h the sweeping arc of the agitator, combines to efiecta gravity flow of material within the hopper to the conveyer vanes, where-by upon rotation of the conveyer, material of a pulverulent nature in contact therewith will be caused to move and flow axially of the conveyer into discharge chamber 22 and adjacent the vortex of impeller 42, as will be more particularly described. t

It will be clear from FIGURE 6 that agitator 38, during that portion of its sweeping, rotation immediately above conveyer 19, will agitate and sweep aside a segment of material immediately superimposed over the conveyer affording unimpeded gravity -flow into the conveyer of the balance of the material.

Aflixed to a keyed end 53 of conveyer shaft 51, extended within drive chamber 19, is a gear 54, and a dollble faced idler gear 56 meshes with gears 49 and 54 reeffectively seal the drive chamber fromjthe hoppen;

and to this end it will be noted that effective seals are provided for both shafts 47 and 51 at their points of bearing in chamber wall 18. 'Agitator 38 is desirably formed of somewhat resilient material, and this combined with the slightly compressed U-shape of the installed'part causes side pressure to be exerted by agitator boss 57 up- 1 on chamber wall 18, and boss 58 of the other leg upon the opposite wall 21 of the hopper, affording a tight seal at both of these bearing points. Conveyer shaft 51 is afforded a tight seal at the point of its journalling in wall 18 as here shown by means of a bushing 59 which provides a precise bearing for the conveyer shaft, and in conjunction with an annular ring 61provided on shaft 51 affords a double seal against contamination of the drive chamber by the contents of the hopper.

As will be noted from a study of FIGURE 5, cover plate 33, as shown in reverse'position to that shown in FIGURE 1, carries on its inner surface 62 a plurality of shaft support bearings 63 for shaft47, idler gear 56, and shaft 51 respectively. A plurality of support studs 64 are formed in' chamber 19, positioning cover plate 33 and limiting deflection of the cover plate against undue tightening of assembly screws 34. l

Impeller 42, comprising hub 66 mounted upon a squared portion 67 of conveyer shaft 51, is provided with a plurality of radial vanes 68. As shown in FIGURE 7, impeller 42 is disposed within a volute 69, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 7 in assembled position, the volute being formed as an integral inwardly extending wall of the discharge chamber cover plate 37, and as shown .in full in the reversed view. Primary air is admitted to the impeller adjacent its axis via a plurality of air admission ports 71 formed in the discharge chamber cover 37. Primary air enters axially, is accelerated radially and tangentially by the rotating impeller vanes, trapped and directed by volute 69 at the high pressure and/or discharge nozzle 26.

Pulverulent material flow is accomplished axially along conveyer 39 through the medium of helix blades 52,'

flared portion 74 adjacent the impeller, facilitating disbursal of the material in the air stream generated by impeller-rotation within the volute construction.

As an important feature of the present invention, material discharge port 73 is formed with extended annular side walls 76, while conveyer shaft 51 is provided with a relatively more narrow collar 77 disposed for rotation substantially at the transverse midpoint of discharge port 73. Pulverulent material conveyed from the hopper must thus pass through the restricted annular opening defined by the constricting side walls 76 of the discharge port surrounding collar 77. The material is thus efiectively subjected to a rolling and crushing action immediately prior to its discharge into the impeller influence, promoting maximum degrading of material size and eliminating the possibility of lumps or compacted material being ineffectively dispensed by the impeller. The construction functions also as a flow metering control, restricting material flow to a rate Within the impeller capacity and avoiding jamming or inoperability. The rolling and crushing action obtained with the present invention enables the control to function even though tightly packed with pulverulent material, as when initiating operation after an interval which has allowed the material to become gravitypacked.

It has been found further, that the relative relationships established by the discharge port and the collar rotating therein is an important one in attaining and controlling optimum effectiveness of pulverulent disbursal. As an aid in insuring precise assembly of the parts and maintenance of the clearance relationship of the impeller within the discharge chamber 22, and of collar 77 within port 73, conveyer shaft 51 is provided with a shoulder 75 against which hub 66 of the impeller, is designed to seat over the squared portion of the shaft. The conveyer shaft is provided with an outboard bearing for maintaining accurate rotational alignment, and as shown such bearing comprises a socket 78 provided in the discharge chamber cover plate 37 for receipt of the outboard end 79 of the conveyer shaft.

As a means of increasing the effectiveness of the material pickup by the impeller air stream, a secondary air admission port is provided adjacent the hub of the impeller in the relatively low pressure area of the impeller chamber. Such secondary air admission port comprises an arcuate slot 81 provided in the lower portion of inner wall 21 of the air discharge chamber, and the air flow through this latter port generates a material carrying current passing to the impeller vanes 68 in the immediate region of the flared outer lip 74 of the material discharge port. The discharge chamber cover plate 37 is assembled by means of a plurality of screws 34a threadably engaged in bosses 36 provided within the chamber, as shown disassembled in FIGURE 7.

Outlet nozzle 26 is positioned substantially at the midline of impeller 42 and is formed of cooperating half tube portions 82 and 83, formed as parts of the front wall 12 of housing 11 and of discharge cover plate 37 respectively. A suitable ring 84 encircles the tapered portion 86 of the nozzle as an additional assembly means to the screws 34, and maintains the parts in substantially air tight relationship against loss of pressure adjacent the nozzle.

As shown in FIGURE 8, a deflector 87 is provided for attachment to nozzle 26 as an aid in most effective disbursion and control of the discharged pulverulent material. Defiector 87 includes a tapered tube body 88 having a tapered internal bore portion 89 providing a tapered fit over outlet nozzle 26. Deflector 87 terminates in a fan shaped discharge end. 91, and it will be clear that the pulverulent discharge may be directed upwardly, downwardly, or at any degree therebetween depending upon the angle at which the deflector is positioned over the tapered nozzle 26.

As shown in FIGURE 3, optionally there may be provided a plurality of cooperating tapered tube extensions 92, each having an internally tapered socket 93 and an externally tapered plug end 94, it being understood that plug ends 94 have an identical taper to that of nozzle 26 whereby any number of extensions may be joined together extending from the nozzle, and may be terminated in deflector 87, positioned by means of the tapered joints to deflect the pulverulent material to the underside of foliage, or to whatever angle that may be desired.

As an aid in reducing unnecessary weight of the duster, the handle 14 may be formed with a hollow interior, and as shown in FIGURE 6 wherein the handle is split at the mid line, one section being formed integrally with the rear wall 13 of the housing, and such section provided with appropriate ribs and studs and cooperating with a similar detachable section to provide a light weight handle of comfortable size for gripping by the operator.

It will be clear that while I do not limit my invention to being formed in any particular material the design and structure shown lends itself to rapid assembly, which I accomplish as follows: Agitator 38 is positioned within the hopper, the one end 43 snapping into the appropriate opening in wall 21, and the other end positioned to receive shaft 46 which is assembled from the free side of drive chamber 19 after idler gear 56 has been installed. Conveyer shaft 51 carrying bushing 59 is next inserted from the discharge chamber side, and gear 54 is positioned over the keyed shaft end meshing with idler gear 56. Drive chamber cover plate 33 may now be installed, and hand crank 24 mounted on the outboard end of shaft 47. Impeller 42 is next positioned over the squared end 67 of the conveyer shaft, bottoming against shoulder 75 for a predetermined fit; cover plate 37 may now be installed journalling the shaft and defining through half tubes 82 on housing 11 and '83 on the cover the discharge nozzle 26. Tapered ring 84 may next be installed over the taper of the discharge nozzle and deflector 87 may either be mounted directly upon the discharge nozzle or at an extended distance therefrom by means of any desired number of tapered extension tubes 92. The operator is thus afforded a light weight, conveniently arranged duster with which he may direct the pulverulent insecticide or other material upon foliage at any angle desired, and at any selected discharge height relative to the ground depending upon the number of tube extensions and the deflector setting selected.

I claim:

A hand cluster of the character described, comprising:

a housing formed with front and rear walls and inset side walls defining a first side chamber and a second side chamber and a bottom wall extending between and connecting said side walls, at right angles thereto, and said front and rear walls, and defining a material hopper;

said bottom wall having an arcuate shape when reviewed on an axis perpendicular to said side walls;

side cover plates secured to said housing enclosing said chambers;

said front and rear walls and said cover plates presenting a substantially unobstructed outer surface and with said inset chambers providing maximum usable hopper volume for minimum overall dimensions;

an impeller mounted for rotation in said first side chamber;

a material discharge port in one of said inset side walls communicating with the input side of said impeller;

.a front-mounted discharge nozzle communicating with the discharge side of said impeller;

an agitator means mounted for rotation in said hopper for movement adjacent said front, rear and bottom walls;

a conveyer means mounted in said hopper adjacent said bottom wall;

a hand crank mounted at the exterior of said second side chamber;

7 8 means including a gear train positioned in said sec- 7 References Cited ond side chamber and operatively connecting said UNITED STATES PATENTS hand crank, agitator means, conveyor means and impeller for simultaneous movement; 1,652,732 12/1927 Root 222 238 a gripping handle provided at the rear wall of said 5 1,724,805 8/1929 P i- 222-238 X 2,831,614 4/1958 Rieben 222193 housing and defining in conjunction with the lower portions of said first and said second side chambets a three-point mounting for maintaining said ROBERT B'REEVESPrlmary Examiner housing in a substantially erect at-rest position. HADD S. LANE, Examiner. 

